Method and apparatus for winding loom beams

ABSTRACT

A combined support and drive assembly and method for winding loom beams with warp threads in uniform fashion. The drive includes a pair of dogs which engage ears on the loom beam and which equalize the driving pressure between them so that a purely torsional force is imparted to the loom beam. The drive assembly also includes a guide which positively locates the driven end of the loom beam so as to assure symmetrical engagement between the dogs and the loom beam ears.

United States Patent Inventor Jack D. Gaskins Lanett, Ala. App1.No.863,627 Filed Oct. 3, 1969 Patented Nov. 23, I97] Assignee Batson-CookCompany West Polnt, Ga.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDING LOOM BEAMS 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[1.8. CI 242/54 R, 64/26, 242/68.1

Int. Cl B65h 54/00 Field of Search 242/462,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,386,367 10/1945 Taylor74/410 2,412,508 12/1946 Jensen .1 242/54 2,939,642 6/1960 Crosby et a1242/54 FOREIGN PATENTS 897,242 3/1945 France 28/32 PrimaryExaminer-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant ExaminerWerner H. SchroederAttorney-Newton, Hopkins & Ormsby ABSTRACT: A combined support and driveassembly and method for winding loom beams with warp threads in uniformfashion. The drive includes a pair of dogs which engage ears on the loombeam and which equalize the driving pressure between them so that apurely torsional force is imparted to the loom beam. The drive assemblyalso includes a guide which positively locates the driven end of theloom beam so its to assure symmetrical engagement between the dogs andthe loom beam ears.

PATENTEDHHY 2 3,622. 094

sum 1 UF 2 Awavma JACK C 6,45m/5 Jrmwwsm METHOD AND APPARATUS FORWINDING LOOM BEAMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture ofcloth, the warp threads for a loom are first wound upon a spool commonlyreferred to as a beam and the beam with its supply of warp threads isthen operatively associated with the loom during the weaving operation.During weaving, the warp threads are maintained under tension by brakingthe loom beam and it is important and desirable that the tension asbetween the individual warp threads across the width of the fabric beingwoven be kept as uniform as possible. This uniformity of tension dependsin part upon the uniformity with which the warp threads have been woundupon the beam in the first place and it is this particular area withwhich the present invention is concerned.

Conventional mechanism for winding the warp threads upon the beam do notobtain a uniform winding action of the warp threads along the length ofthe beam, with the result that disparity in tension is manifest asbetween, in particular, the warp threads at one extreme end of the beamand the warp threads wound upon the other extreme end of the beam.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to thediscovery that the aforesaid nonuniforrnity of tension during weaving isdirectly traceable to bending moments imparted to the beam during thewinding thereon of the supply of warp threads and that this, in turn, isdue to asymmetrical application of the winding force. For example,conventional winding mechanism for a loom beam employs a single dogdisplaced radially from the axis of winding rotation and engaging an earor flange on the loom beam to impart the requisite winding rotationthereto as the individual warp threads, distributed along the length ofthe beam, are wound thereon. The resultant reaction force acting on thatend of the loom beam to which the winding force is applied and whichimparts a bending moment to the loom beam continuously varies not onlyas to magnitude but as to direction as the dog is rotated angularlythrough 360 of arc. The bending moment produced by this reaction forcecauses deflection of the beam such that the warp threads are notuniformly wound along the length of the beam.

The present invention overcomes this problem by utilizing a combinedsupport and drive assembly for the loom beam in which the loom beam issupported or guided at its driven end so that a pair of drive dogs areassured of symmetrical disposition with respect thereto and whereinmeans is provided assuring equal distribution of the winding torquebetween the two dogs.

A piston is provided for each dog and each piston is capable of limitedfree axial movement, with there being an incompressible fluid systemacting between the pistons causing them to share equally in the drivingforce imparted to the loom beam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES F IG. l is a perspective viewillustrating a loom beam and a portion of the drive mechanism accordingto the present invention in exploded relation;

FIG. 2 is a view showing an end portion of a wound loom beam accordingto methods employed by the prior art;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section, illustrating theinterengagement between the loom beam and the driving assembly;

FIG. 4 is a transverse view taken substantially along the planeofsection line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section taken substantially along the plane ofsection line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the drive dog assembliesas indicated by section line 66 in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference now moreparticularly to FIG. 1, a loom beam is indicated generally therein bythe reference character 10 and which will be seen to include an elongatespool portion 12 and opposite end plates 14 and I6. The end plate 14 isprovided with a projecting stub shaft, not shown, and a similar stubshaft 18 is provided on the end plate 16, the end plate 16 also beingprovided with a hub portion 20 from which there are provided a pair ofdiametrically opposed and radially extending flanges 22 and 24. This isa normal construction for the loom beam assembly, it being appreciatedwhen the warp threads are wound upon the loom beam, same is disposed inassociation with a loom so that the individual warp threads unrolltherefrom as the weaving process progresses. As would be expected, theuniformity with which the warp threads are wound upon the spool portion12 in longitudinally side-by-side relation therealong controls theuniformity of tension in the warp threads as they are unrolled from thebeam.

When winding a fresh supply of warp threads on the beam 10, the beamassembly is supported by the stub shafts at its opposite ends inassociation with a winding assembly indicated generally by the referencecharacter 26 and which will include a drive shaft 28 and an associatedfaceplate 30 having a drive dog thereon for engaging one of the flanges22 or 24 to impart rotary motion to the beam 10 to which the free endsof individual warp threads are secured in longitudinally spacedrelationship along the length of the spool portion 12. The use of asingle driving dog, or for that matter a pair of dogs which do notequally distribute the driving force between the two flanges 22 and 24,will produce a reaction force acting against the stub shaft 18 tendingto deform and bend the beam assembly l0 tending to unevenly wind certainof the warp threads, and more notably those disposed adjacent the drivenend of the beam assembly 10. This is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein itwill be seen that the several warp threads in the region 32 will displaya high point H and a low point L as compared with the remaining warpthreads as indicated in the region 34. Thus, when the individual warpthreads are unrolled during the weaving operation, the high and lowpoints will cause uneven tension in the associated warp threads so thatthe tension in all of the warp threads longitudinally along the spoolportion I2 of the beam assembly 10 will not be uniform.

According to the present invention, as may be seen in FIG. 3, thepresent invention utilizes two driving dogs indicated by the referencecharacters 36 and 38 which are disposed at radially equidistantly spacedpositions with respect to the recess 40 in the driving assembly whichguides and receives the stub shaft portion 18 of the loom beam 10. Thus,the assembly positively assures symmetrical disposition of the dogs 36and 38 radially with respect to the axis of the drive shaft 28 and ofthe axis of the loom beam assembly 10.

As may be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the faceplate 30 is provided with apair of guide blocks 42 and 44 which may be secured thereto by a pair offasteners 46 and 48, as shown in FIG. 6, and which guide blocks eachinclude a pair of outstanding bushing stands 50 and 52 having alignedbores therethrough, each of which is provided with a suitable bushingsuch as those indicated by the reference characters 54 and 56. A piston58 is slidably received in the aligned bushings 54 and 56 and each isprovided with a reduced diameter portion 60 receiving its associated dog36 or 38. The bushing stands 50 and 52 define a gap therebetween whichis wider than the width of the dogs 36 or 38 so as to allow the piston alimited amount of free play between the bushing stands 50 and 52, thepurpose of which will be presently apparent.

One of the bussing stands receives a retainer plate 62 held in place bysuitable circlip 64 and which acts as a seat for a reaction member 66.The reaction member includes a head portion which is slidably receivedin a fluid recess 68 in each piston as may be seen in FIG. 6 and may beprovided with a circumferential groove receiving a suitable O-ring 70 toprovide a good sealing engagement with the piston and whereby to define,therewith, a fluid chamber 72. The reaction member 66 is provided, ineach case, with an axial bore 74 communicating with its fluid chamber 72and the two bores 74 are intercommunicated by a suitable conduit 76 sothat the two fluid chambers 72 are in intercommunication.

The reduced end portion 78 of each reaction member 66 projects through asuitable opening in the plate 62 and may be provided with a circlip 80to retain it in place. Additionally, the plate 62 may be provided with anotch 82 receiving a pin 84 carried by the reaction member 66 in eachcase so as to prevent rotation between the reaction member 66 and theplate 62.

Each piston is provided with an axial bore 86 communicating its outerend with the fluid chamber 72 and provided, at such outer end with asuitable grease nipple or similar one-way check device 88. A relativelyhigh-viscosity incompressible fluid, such as axle grease, is introducedinto the system through the nipples 88, the air being bled from thesystem so that the incompressible fluid completely fills the chamber andconduit system. The amount of incompressible fluid introduced is such aswill not force both pistons to their extreme positions and, to this end,one piston may be held in its fully retracted position as is shown indash-dot line in FIG. 6 while the other piston is allowed to extend toan intermediate position toward the full line position of the dog 36 asshown in FIG. 6.

With this condition prevailing, and as is shown in FIG. 5, the dogs aredisposed on opposite sides of the respective flanges 22 and 24 and thedriving force imparted to the faceplate 30 will permit the dogs 36 and38 to seek positions in which the driving torque is equally dividedtherebetween as effected by the intervening, incompressible fluidsystem.

The floor portion 90 formed in each guide block between the outstandingbushing stands 50 and 52 thereof is flat and the corresponding inner end92 of each dog is similarly flat and disposed in close adjacency theretoso as to stabilize the dogs and maintain them in outstanding positionsas is shown for example in FIG. 3.

OPERATION In operation, the stub shaft 18 of an empty loom beam 10 isositioned in faceplate 30 and the stub shaft of the end plate 14 ispositioned in another plain faceplate, (not shown). Since the drivingflanges 22 and 24 are offset as seen in FIG. so that their drivingsurfaces D lie along a diameter of the end plate l6, the dog 36 engagesthe driving surface S of flange 22 and the dog 38 engages surface S offlange 24. The faceplate 30 is driven so that the beam is rotatedclockwise in FIG, 5 as shown by arrow M.

When the warp threads are attached to the beam 10 and the windingoperation starts, wherever dog 36 or 38 that first engages a drivingsurface S forces the other dog 36 or 38 into contact with the otherdriving surface S by forcing the fluid through conduit 76. This causesequal loading on the flanges 22 and 24 so that the movement of the beam10 as experienced by the prior art is eliminated even though there maybe variations formed in flanges 22 and 24 during casting.

Further, ifthe viscosity of the fluid is not such that the dogs 36 and38 move slowly back and forth in their stands 50 and 52, a flow-controlvalve V (shown in FIG. 5) may be inserted in conduit 76 to restrict thefluid flow and retard the speed of movement of dogs 36 and 38. Thisprevents chatter between dogs 36 and 38 and flanges 22 and 24 while theequal loading adjustment is taking place,

While specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein,it is to be understood that modifications, equivalents, andsubstitutions may be used without departing from the scope of theinventive concept.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a loom beam having an end flange with aprojecting stub shaft and outstanding ears on either side of said stubshaft,

a combined support and drive assembly for said loom beam,

said assembly comprising a drive shaft, a faceplate at one end of saiddrive shaft, said assembly having a recess concentric with the axis ofsaid drive shaft guidably receiving said stub shaft to align said loombeam with said drive shaft,

a pair offloating drive dogs carried by said faceplate and engaging saidears symmetrically with respect to the axis of said drive shaft and ofsaid loom beam, and

means for interconnecting said drive dogs to equalize the drivingpressure exerted thereby against said ears.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said faceplate isprovided with a piston for each drive dog, the lastmentioned meanscomprising an incompressible fluid system interconnecting said pistons.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said faceplate isprovided with a pair of guide blocks, each guide block including a pairof bushing stands defining a gap therebetween, each piston havingopposite end portions received in an associated pair of said bushingstands, said dogs being carried by intermediate portions of said pistonsfor limited movement within said gaps.

4, The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein each guide block isprovided with a flat floor portion between its bushing stands, eachdrive dog having a flat base portion adjacent its associated floorportion so as to be stabilized thereby.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said faceplate isprovided with a pair of guide blocks, each guide block including a pairof bushing stands defining a gap therebetween, a piston having oppositeend portions received in said bushing stands and having one end portionprovided with a fluid recess, a reaction member fixed to one of saidbushing stands and projecting into said fluid recess to define a fluidchamber therewith adapted to be filled with an incompressible fluid,said dogs being carried by intermediate portions of said pistons forlimited movement within said gaps.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein each guide block isprovided with a flat floor portion between its bushing stands, eachdrive dog having a flat base portion adjacent its associated floorportion so as to be stabilized thereby.

7. The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein each reaction member isprovided with a bore therethrough, said means for interconnectingcomprising a fluid conduit intcrcommunicating said bores.

8. A method for winding warp threads on a loom beam having a supportshaft and diametrically extending driving flanges comprising the stepsof:

rotatably supporting the loom beam by its support shaft;

applying a first force to one of the driving flanges of the beam throughan element engaging said flange for rotating the beam in a givendirection;

applying a second force to the other flange of the beam through anelement engaging said other flange for rotating the beam in said givendirection; and

equalizing the torque applied to the loom beam by said first and seconddriving forces, by transmitting an equalizing force from one of saidflange engaging elements to the other.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the force is transmitted from oneflange engaging element to the other through a fluid medium.

10. A method as in claim 8 wherein said first and second forces are eachapplied at a predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of thebeam on diametrically opposite sides of said axis.

1. In combination with a loom beam having an end flange with aprojecting stub shaft and outstanding ears on either side of said stubshaft, a combined support and drive assembly for said loom beam, saidassembly comprising a drive shaft, a faceplate at one end of said driveshaft, said assembly having a recess concentric with the axis of saiddrive shaft guidably receiving said stub shaft to align said loom beamwith said drive shaft, a pair of floating drive dogs carried by saidfaceplate and engaging said ears symmetrically with respect to the axisof said drive shaft and of said loom beam, and means for interconnectingsaid drive dogs to equalize the driving pressure exerted thereby againstsaid ears.
 2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein saidfaceplate is provided with a piston for each drive dog, the lastmentioned means comprising an incompressible fluid systeminterconnecting said pistons.
 3. The combination as defined in claim 2wherein said faceplate is provided with a pair of guide blocks, eachguide block including a pair of bushing stands defining a gaptherebetween, each piston having opposite end portions received in anassociated pair of said bushing stands, said dogs being carried byintermediate portions of said pistons for limited movement within saidgaps.
 4. The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein each guide blockis provided with a flat floor portion between its bushing stands, eachdrive dog having a flat base portion adjacent its associated floorportion so as to be stabilized thereby.
 5. The combination as defined inclaim 1 wherein said faceplate is provided with a pair of guide blocks,each guide block including a pair of bushing stands defining a gaptherebetween, a piston having opposite end portions received in saidbushing stands and having one end portion provided with a fluid recess,a reaction member fixed to one of said bushing stands and projectinginto said fluid recess to define a fluid chamber therewith adapted to befilled with an incompressible fluid, said dogs being carried byintermediate portions of said pistons for limited movement within saidgaps.
 6. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein each guide blockis provided with a flat floor portion between its bushing stands, eachdrive dog having a flat base portion adjacent its associated floorportion so as to be stabilized thereby.
 7. The combination as defined inclaim 6 wherein each reaction member is provided with a boretherethrough, said means for interconnecting comprising a fluid conduitintercommunicating said bores.
 8. A method for winding warp threads on aloom beam having a support shaft and diametrically extending drivingflanges comprising the steps of: rotatably supporting the loom beam byits support shaft; applying a first force to one of the driving flangesof the beam through an element engaging said flange for rotating thebeam in a given direction; applying a second force to the other flangeof the beam through an element engaging said other flange for rotatingthe beam in said given direction; and equalizing the torque applied tothe loom beam by said first and second driving forces, by transmittingan equalizing force from one of said flange engaging elements to theother.
 9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the force is transmitted fromone flange engaging element to the other through a fluid medium.
 10. Amethod as in claim 8 wherein said first and second forces are eachapplied at a predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of thebeam on diametrically opposite sides of said axis.